ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)

The tragic life of an unhoused man's life tied by a series of coincidences to Japan's Imperial family. I ached and cried reading about the woes of poverty in this story that weaves modern Japanese history. The structure likely won't work well for those who crave deep character development, but I deeply appreciated Yū's work giving voice to the voiceless.

read in mandarin
The intertwined lives of a teenage runaway and an aging simpleton. This is my 5th Murakami novel and might top NORWEGIAN WOOD to be my fav

7 students who are bullied to the point of dropping out of school find a magical castle within a mirror and unlock the castle's secret via unlikely friendships. I wasn't expecting to love this book so much following a bunch of kids

Two women on a luxury cruise from NY to Havana in 1934 and their intertwined lives. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction based on true events with a hint of suspense/mystery and romance. While the plot is sometimes predictable, I still had a blast with this entertaining page-turner.

When a catastrophic wildfire suddenly rips through a woman's hometown, she thinks she's lucky to have survived until she finds a dead woman in her driveway. This is a character-driven suspense with lush writing. The FMC is quite unlikable because of her stubbornness, but it becomes clear as the plot progresses to show the effects of unimaginable grief. The elements of trauma, abusive relationships, fractured families, and mysteries are intertwined in this story beautifully, perfect for those looking for a slow-burn character study.

3.5/5

I feel like everything could’ve been solved by the FMC blocking her ex’s number??? (Jk jk)